MASS Spotlight: The Burrows Center Food Pantry
Food pantries across the country have had to change the way they distribute food to people in need during the pandemic, and The Salvation Army’s Burrows Center pantry is no exception. Normally, clients simply walk into the pantry and shop for what they need – but as the COVID-19 pandemic began impacting the Omaha metro in March, extra precautions were put in place. Now, staff and volunteers pre-pack grocery sacks with a variety of fruits, vegetables and non-perishables to give away to clients.
Willie, an Omaha resident, noted she was grateful both for the food and for the precautions that The Salvation Army was taking to ensure everyone stays safe. “It really does scare me,” she said about the coronavirus. “But I’m glad they’re open, especially to us older people.”
The Burrows Center Food Pantry – which is part of The Salvation Army’s Material Assistance and Seasonal Services (MASS) program – helps to alleviate food insecurity in the metro by filling thousands of grocery orders each year, ensuring that individuals and families are able to put nutritious food onto their tables and into their bodies.
Demand for food at the Burrows Center has spiked during the pandemic. Between March and August alone, staff there filled more than 3,500 grocery orders. At the start of the pandemic, demand for food at Burrows skyrocketed 144%.
“Food is a basic necessity; if you’re hungry, or if your children are hungry, it’s almost impossible to think about or accomplish anything else,” said Maj. Greg Thompson, divisional commander of The Salvation Army Western Division. “A person’s ability to thrive depends first on being able to survive, which is why meeting basic needs is so central to The Salvation Army’s mission. And as we’ve seen during this pandemic, our mission is more important than ever.”
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The Salvation Army’s MASS program provides assistance when times are tough by offering food, clothing, household items, help paying for prescription medications, utility assistance and seasonal services. Our goal is to help those who are struggling stay afloat until financial stability can be achieved. For more information about MASS, visit our Burrows Center for Help and Hope website.